In order to minister to the spiritual needs of the early Princeton community,
missionaries journeyed from New York, New Brunswick and Philadelphia for religious services
which formed the first chapter in the history of St. Paul's church. Early records reveal that the
Reverend Anthony Schmidt celebrated Mass in the home of one of the faithful as early as 1795,
followed by Father LaGrange, who made his last visit to this town in 1799. After the death of
Father Schmidt in 1807, Father Malou, a missionary, and Father Hugh McGuire, Pastor of
St. Peter's, New Brunswick, frequently visited Catholics here. Father John Rogers later offered
Mass in an old farm house occupied by James Boyle, and this location may be called the first Mission
Church in Princeton.
In 1850 the Church in Princeton assumed a more definite form, when the Reverend John Scollard
was appointed by Bishop Hughes of New York as the first resident Pastor of Saint Paul's. Since Boyle's
farm house proved too small for his growing congregation, he immediately rented Cook's Hall on
Nassau Street for services, and later acquired land on what was known as Campbell's Tract. Here, at 182
Nassau Street, he erected a modest church building with a school in the basement and a small rectory.
This establishment continued until 1857, when the Reverend Alfred Young, a graduate of Princeton College,
Class of 1848, was appointed by Bishop Bayley of Newark. The new pastor sold the old property and
acquired the present site of Saint Paul's at 214 Nassau Street, where he erected a small frame church and
plotted the cemetery. When he joined the Paulist Fathers in 1861, he was succeeded by the
Reverend James John Joseph O'Donnell, who began to lay plans for a new church building.
In 1867, Father Thomas R. Moran began a thirty-year tenure as Pastor. Under his guidance the old
church and rectory were constructed of brick. He also provided a school and convent, and in 1878 he brought
the Sisters of Mercy to Princeton. In recognition of his work, Father Moran was made monsignor in 1892
and Vicar General in 1895.
From 1900 to 1925, five pastors, Revs. Robert Emmet Burke, Walter T. Leahy, William J. Fitzgerald,
Dennis S. Kelly and Michael H. Callahan, served St. Paul's and each made his own additions to the
church building. In 1925, the Reverend Patrick J. Clune was appointed pastor of St. Paul's. He made
the next significant physical addition to St. Paul's when he constructed the present school building
before his retirement in 1935. Father Edward A. McAndrews, Reverend John Meerwald and the
Reverend John F. Walsh served the parish from Father Clune's retirement until 1948. In 1945,
Fr. Walsh led our congregation in a community-wide celebration of St. Paul's 100th Year Anniversary
as a parish and the 150th Year Anniversary of the Catholic faith in Princeton. He was succeeded by the
Reverend Joseph Keenan as Administrator and soon after in 1950, the Reverend Edward C. Henry was
appointed Pastor. Under his leadership, the convent, rectory and church which we see today were built.
The church building was formally blessed and dedicated on March 24, 1957. During this period, Father
Henry found himself the interpreter for Vatican Council Papal directives that were to change religious
rights and practices in St. Paul's. For his untiring devotion, he was named Monsignor and retired only when
our church was debt-free.
The Right Reverend Monsignor John J. Endebrock became spiritual leader of St. Paul's on June 19, 1970.
He continued to carry out Vatican Council changes in liturgical practices and provided deacons to serve
the parish community. He also established the Deacon Internship Program in 1970. Five deacons
completed their seminary work at St. Paul's and St. James in Rocky Hill and four of these have been
ordained priests of the Trenton Diocese. Under Msgr. Endebrock's guidance, the first Parish Council was
formed. He resigned as Pastor in 1979 after nine years of dedication and devotion to the parishioners and
societies of St. Paul's. He was succeeded by Reverend Evasio DeMarcellis. Like his predecessors,
he strengthened the religious education of our children and greatly encouraged the expansion of
parish ministries. He oversaw the transfer of the St. James Mission in Rocky Hill to the newly-formed
Metuchen Diocese, and the establishment of two new parishes: St. David the King Church in West Windsor and
Queenship of Mary Church in Plainsboro. He also began work on an addition to St. Paul's School.
In 1995, the parish celebrated its 150th Anniversary as a parish and the 200th Anniversary of the Catholic Foundation
in Princeton. In 1997, our beloved Fr. "De" died and was succeeded by the current pastor, Monsignor Walter E. Nolan.
Msgr. Nolan oversaw the completion of the school addition, and set out to expand the parish's outreach facilities,
encouraging new ministries and organizations, rejuvenating existing ones, and continually seeking ways in which
the parish's facilities and personnel can be put to use in the service of God and his people.
